On Saturday, September 13th, between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., the Design Trust for Public Space and the Grand Army Plaza Coalition (of which PHNDC is a member) will kick-off Reinventing Grand Army Plaza, a free outdoor exhibit showcasing 30 visionary ideas for transforming Grand Army Plaza into one of the world's great urban spaces. The exhibit will be located in the center oval of Grand Army Plaza.

The kick-off event will feature live music, food, guided tours of the exhibit, a special performance of Brooklyn's own Streb Lab for Action Mechanics (S.L.A.M.), and an opportunity to meet the designers and prizewinners.

In February, the Design Trust initiated a two-month international competition seeking ideas for transforming the Plaza from a whirling traffic maelstrom into the magnificent public space that its creators, legendary Prospect Park architects Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, had envisioned. More than 200 teams from around the world submitted entries, from which the competition's jurors selected the top 30 for exhibition.

Those designs will be on display until October 13th, with free guided tours every Saturday at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. You'll also have a chance to vote for your favorite vision for Grand Army Plaza.

Billions of Federal dollars will be spent over the next 25 years to improve the region's transportation system, and the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council (NYMTC) wants your input into how that money should be spent.

NYMTC's 2010-2035 Regional Transportation Plan will lay out a long-range framework for improving the region's transportation system – its roads, bridges, freight and mass transit facilities, and its bicycle and pedestrian networks.

Interactive workshops are being held throughout the region to encourage your comments, ideas and suggestions for your community's transportation future and to discuss the new Plan, including various trends and issues, NYMTC's shared goals for the region and its proposed development vision, and the regional socio-economic and demographic forecasts that will form its foundation.

THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO HELP PLAN TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS IN YOUR COMMUNITY FOR THE NEXT 25 YEARS. YOUR CONCERNS AND ISSUES MATTER!

'When I was elected in 2006 as New York State Senator for the 20th District, I was excited about the opportunity to represent a community in which various groups would illustrate for our city and state the many ways in which to celebrate the beauty of diversity. Throughout my first term in office, as I interacted with numerous residents who shared the vision of the magnificence of diversity, I identified a great strategy to transform this theoretical conception into a day of celebration.

'The initial goal is the establishment of a "Celebrate our Diversity Day."

'The objective of the day is to observe and honor the multiplicity of ethnicities, cultures, religions, and lifestyles that make up our great borough. I hope to draw meaning from the issues and themes that are important to each of them. Our celebration will be constructed around two separate events.

'The first will involve pet owners. We will invite all dog owners and non-owners to assemble in the Prospect Park Long Meadow during the h ours of 7:00 AM to 9:00 AM (off-leash hours). It is my aim to construct an occasion during which dog owners and non-owners can use pets as vehicles to recognize how much we actually have in common. If brown dogs, beige dogs, German Shepherds, poodles, retrievers, etc. can play in and enjoy the park together, then we humans should also be able to share our community in mutual esteem and brotherhood/sisterhood.

'The second part of the day will involve a bike ride between the hours of 10:00 AM and 1:00 PM throughout the 20th Senatorial District. During this tour we will travel through the different communities that comprise one of the most diverse Senatorial Districts in the State of New York. We will ride through the neighborhoods of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Boro Park, Crown Heights, Flatbush, Park Slope, Prospect Heights, Sunset Park, and Windsor Terrace. During the trip we will pause to enjoy the various sights, sounds, foods, and cultural manifestations that comprise this remarkable district.

'The bike ride will have the significant added benefits of promoting the use of alternative transportation, encouraging fitness through exercise, and making our roadways more bike friendly. (It is important to note that these are some of the critical topics that were discussed during my first meeting with individuals who support safer biking.)

'In order to make these events successful endeavors, your assistance is vital. If you are interested in aiding me to organize them, please email me at my personal email address, VoiceofConcern@aol.com.

'The scheduled day for both events is Saturday, September 6th, 2008. I encourage everyone interested in helping to organize "Celebrate our Diversity Day" to attend.

'Together, we can make Brooklyn a harmonious and safe place in which to nurture children and families.